Redirect URL Hashing - PureSpectrum

PureSpectrum requires the use of URL hashing as a means of fraud prevention. A hash generated using a shared, secret token is the front line of defense against link manipulation.

Redirect URL Hashing is recommended for the outbund redirect (from PureSpectrum pre-screener to survey URL) and mandatory for the inbound redirect (from survey URL back to PureSpectrum landing page).

PureSpectrum supports Sha1 and Sha2 hashings.

To generate the hash, open the menu for hashing in your Buyer Settings, and input your shared secret. By enabling the desired hashing under this menu, any completed transaction with an incorrect ps_hash value will be stored as a fraudulent attempt.

The formula we use to generate ps_hash is sha1 (full_url+ shared_secret) where full_url is the value of the entire url as you are redirecting the respondent, less the ps_hash variable.

Example

sharedsecret = s3cr3tkey

fullURL = https://spectrumsurveys.com/surveydone?st=21&transaction_id=abc123s3cr3tkey

Using http://www.sha1-online.com
ps_hash = 1e8e6042ae5fd8edadfc2664423e9877c1ecb003

Full respondent redirect
https://spectrumsurveys.com/surveydone?st=21&transaction_id=abc123&ps_hash=1e8e6042ae5fd8edadfc2664423e9877c1ecb003

The order of the query parameters in the redirect url for SHA1 is important. st needs to come first and transaction_id second, as per the example above.

More information on hashing can be found on the Manage Buyer Settings page.